Majewski still stinks, but...

it was awesome to hear live baseball today, the sound of Marty's voice, the announcement of players names, all of it over the old radio waves.

I woke up this morning to blindness from light bouncing off the snow and through my window thinking I just didn't want to face another winter day. Then I remembered the first Spring Training game would be broadcast and hopped right out of bed.

Some thoughts I had during the game (and yes, I know the first Spring Training game means absolutely nothing):

Start Jay Bruce. Start him on Opening Day, and IF he isn't ready, send him down later. But why on Earth would you NOT put your best team on the field? Forget about arbitration clocks. (Bruce had one of the team's two hits. Freel struck out twice and Hopper was 0-2, so it's Bruce 1-2 and Fropper 0-4.) We're trying to win THIS year. PUT THE BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD.

MAJEWSKI ERA WATCH: 162.00 I know, I know. It's the first Spring Training game. But this guy should have been working his butt off over the winter and if he didn't and that's why he was lit up, then he's in the wrong and if he did and still was lit up, well, give him a couple more chances in early spring and then just get rid of him.

Did I mention how exciting it was to listen to live baseball, to feel the game and spring deep in the soul, even as snow flurries float from the gray skies to the blankness that lays across the Ohio landscape?

Jeremy Affeldt. Five ground ball outs in two innings? Very good for GABP. If only he could do that all year. Nice to see some good pitching there, and he pitched against what was pretty much the Phillies' Opening Day lineup. I sure hope we get our three million dollars' worth.

BASEBALL!

Chris Dickerson. I haven't liked that guy since he (could have been someone posing as him, I guess) wrote a nasty comment on my blog when I said he'd never be more than a fourth outfielder. With Bruce and Stubbs, I don't see any future for him with the Reds, especially with a glaring deficiency in his game. I guess I'm just wondering why he's considered a prospect when he has such a fatal flaw.

Todd Coffey. This slimmer version of The Toad better prove me wrong, because right now I'm not feeling much love for the guy. Thing is, it seems to me he really works hard, so maybe he'll get it together. I'd like to see a bullpen of Cordero (9th), Burton (8th), Weathers (7th), Bray(7th) , Affeldt (6th and long), Fogg (6th and long), and Belisle (6th and long) with a rotation of Harang, Arroyo, Bailey, Cueto, and Voloquez. That, I know, won't happen (at least not this year), but us dreamers can dream loudly, can't we? And hey, if Coffey can finally start mixing pitches and make use of that good stuff he supposedly has, by all means, put him in the pen. Regardless, it's so nice to see that we have some options this year!

It's funny listening to Spring Training games when the game is winding down and you don't know which team is batting and which team is in the field because you don't recognize the names.

PUT THE BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD! BEST TEAM. BEST. JAY BRUCE.

WOOHOO, IT'S BASEBALL!